NNAS's Expedited Service Costs More and Delivers in Days, Not Weeks
Choosing between nnas expedited service vs regular service comes down to a straightforward trade: how much is speed worth to you, in a process where the fee is non-refundable either way and the outcome doesn’t change based on which line you pay to stand in.
What “regular” actually means
NNAS charges $650 USD for its main regular application, an oddity worth flagging for South African readers budgeting in rand, since it’s one of the few Canadian credentialing fees quoted in US dollars rather than Canadian. The nnas regular application 12 week wait begins once all your documents have actually arrived at NNAS, not from the date you submit your application — a distinction that matters because document courier delays from South Africa can quietly add weeks before that 12-week clock even starts.
What “expedited” buys you
The expedited service costs $750 CAD, and the nnas expedited application turnaround time can be as short as five business days once your file is complete — a genuinely dramatic difference from 12 weeks. Critically, the nnas expedited fee covers multiple regulators at no extra charge, meaning if you’re weighing applications to more than one province’s nursing college, the expedited fee isn’t multiplied per regulator the way some other credentialing processes charge per submission.
What doesn’t change between the two options
Whichever service you pick, the report itself comes back with the same three possible outcomes — Comparable, Somewhat Comparable, or Not Comparable to Canadian Entry-to-Practice Competencies — and NNAS’s own no-refund policy applies identically: there is no refund of application fees, ever, regardless of the result. An appeal is possible for $500, refundable only if the appeal actually succeeds. Neither speed option changes how NNAS assesses your credentials; it only changes how long you wait to find out.
Validity windows worth planning around
Your NNAS application stays active for 12 months from submission. The Advisory Report itself is valid for up to 2 years, though the specific provincial regulator makes the final call on how long it will accept it, and NNAS only keeps your file in its own system for 1 year. Choosing expedited service doesn’t just save time upfront; it also buys a longer runway inside these validity windows to actually use the report for a provincial application, rather than eating into the clock while the regular service’s 12 weeks tick by.
Which one actually makes sense
Deciding between nnas expedited service vs regular service earlier rather than later is itself the smart move, since neither option helps you if your documents aren’t ready yet. If you’re on a tight visa or job-offer timeline, or applying to more than one province and want the multi-regulator coverage without extra fees, the extra $100 CAD or so for expedited service is a small price against months of runway. If your timeline has slack and you can absorb waiting three months without jeopardising a visa condition or job start date, the regular service reaches the identical outcome for less money. Either way, budget for the fee as sunk the moment you pay it, and gather every required document before you submit, since the clock, regular or expedited, only starts once your file is actually complete.